Now Boarding
by kr3ativ23
Summary: Oneshot! Nick makes a trip to get something much needed off of his mind. Takes place after Catherine's departure. Nick can't stop thinking aboout what could have been. Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all- Alfred Lord Tennyson


Now Boarding

This is just a one-shot unfortunately. I'm surprised that no one has done anything like this since Catherine's farewell. Catnip lovers where are you lol? I am still working on my other stories and I will update them soon I promise.

Please Enjoy and Review!

Nick's POV

'_**Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all – Alfred Lord Tennyson**_

I can't believe I've let her go. Hold on let me take that back because I don't want to sound selfish or conceited what I mean is that I can't believe I've let her go without telling her how I feel about her. Now that she's gone I can't stop thinking about her. It seems like everything I see, smell, hear, or do reminds me of her. I see the coffee mug she always used and reminisce about the old times in the break room when we would just sit and talk before shift and during lunches, or ill see one of her pens and remember all the times she had tossed it aside to scold me about something I did wrong. Good or bad memories I still remember and cherish them all. I smell her perfume or hear her laugh I immediately think that she is there and search for her but then remember how she's gone. I guess you can tell that I miss her and I think I love her. I do. I love her.

Unfortunately when she needed me I couldn't be the man she needed. She was right because at the time I wasn't focused on her or myself I was confused and questioning life… or just making excuses as she put it and then she asked me the question that still haunts me to this day.

_So what's it going to be, Nick?_ I replied back with silence_. I got a job offer in DC and I'm going to take it. I thought I would tell you first._ I couldn't find my voice, of course I didn't want her to go but I didn't want to be tied down with such restrictions and worrying especially if we were ever caught and I was afraid if things got too serious we would grow to not like each other. So I stayed quiet and watched her gather her things and leave. I didn't want to risk it. She was my best friend, boss, coworker, and lover. And now that she is gone I feel like I folded my winning hand in the first round without seeing what could have been.

I can barely think at work because everything at the lab reminds me of her. I find myself peeking in her office every time I walk by. When I sleep I have the most amazing dreams about and then am soon disappointed when I wake up and she's not with me. I guess it was getting pretty noticeable because Greg talked to me and I guess that's why I'm here now. I remember staring at my locker when he shook his hand in my face to get my attention I didn't even notice him come in.

"_Are you alright, Nick? You seem out of it." Greg asked resting against the lockers in the locker room._

"_Yea, yea. I'm fine." I replied back shaking my head trying to bring myself out of the funk I was in._

"_Miss, Catherine?" he said, I look up at him as he smiles timidly. I nod._

"_Yea."_

"_We all do, Nick." He says and I quickly break eye contact and look forward. _

"_Yea, yea I know."_

"_I guess it's different though. With you and Catherine," I immediately take a deep breath and turn quickly to look at him._

"_What do you mean?" I ask before my brain realizes how suspicious that looked, and by Greg's facial reaction realized I just messed up._

"_I mean you and Catherine are best friends…" his voice showing his confusion as he spoke. "Nick, can I ask you something?"_

"_Umm…" I say scratching my head. I know exactly what he is going to ask but I don't know what say to him._

"_Listen, Nick. I'm not going to ask you about your romantic encounters with Catherine, but why are you still here? If you've been this mopey because she's gone why not call her."_

"_It's __not that, Greg."_

"_Then what is it?"_

"_I'm more than excited that she got a great job and she's still doing what she loved. It's just that… I have a lot on my mind. I can't stop thinking about her."_

"_Absence diminishes small loves and increases great ones, as the wind blows out the candle and blows up the bonfire. Go and talk to her, tell her how you feel."_

"_What? Go to DC?"_

"_Listen, Nick, I can't tell you what to do. But if you sit and mope around you will only feel worst."_

I don't know why that conversation gave me a certain boost of confidence. I had the woman of my dreams in front of me practically begging me to tell her to stay and I shut up and put my tail between my legs. I froze up. I didn't even stop her as she left my bed. I didn't know what to say or what to do, and I don't think I do now either.

I run my hand through my hair as my own nerves and anxiety are sure to make my insides explode. My hair has gotten longer I can't bring myself to cut it. I know this may sound corny but after I would get it cut Catherine would run her fingers through it and it make me get butterflies in my stomach and I could feel the goofiest smile spread across my lips one that I haven't seen or felt since she left.

It took a couple days for her leaving to really sink in. at first I was just telling myself that she was on vacation but passing her empty office led my denial to be very short lived so when I said a couple days I mean a couple hours.

Watching her plane was like someone ripping out my heart and stomping on it. I guess that is how she's felt. My intentions were not to hurt her, I thought I was protecting her and us from scrutiny but I realize now that I was protecting myself. She was ready to face everyone and she didn't care. She has always been an outspoken and strong, things I really admire about her. We are almost completely opposite of each other but we get along great our differences make us flow nicely and equal each other out. Oh god I miss her. Even talking about it now is driving me mad.

I look down at the card Catherine gave me. My heart is pounding so hard I'm sure it will explode, I've never been this nervous in my entire life the weather here is certainly different then in Vegas. It's a lot cooler and definitely not as humid. The building was huge and cleaner then the lab. I search for the reception desk I'm not even sure if I'll make it to the counter. I'm feeling lightheaded I'm so nervous.

_What if this is a terrible idea?_

"Hello, I'm looking for…" I say to the receptionist but stop when I hear a laugh that I'm sure belongs to her. I turn and see her, I don't know who was more surprised me or her. She looked very beautiful but still serious at the same time. She opened her mouth to speak but I walked over and kissed her. I move my hands to get a better grip on her face pulling her into the kiss, I hear the papers she was holding drop and scatter across the floor and feel her hands go through my hair.

"Nicky, what are you doing here?" Catherine said, as our foreheads found comfort with one another.

"I wanted to tell you something."

"What?"

"I'm sorry; I've been such a doof." I say, she smiles. Anytime I was being dumb she would ask me why I was being a doof. "Catherine, I love you. And I have missed you somethin' fierce since you left. I'm super happy that you got a job and all… but… no, I don't mean but, I mean…" I ramble but Catherine hushes me with another powerful kiss.

"You came all the way from Vegas to tell me that…"

"That I love you, yes! I love all those little things you do or did, and I swear I have never felt this way before and I'm sorry that when you needed me I was not ready but I am now. I know this is not the best but this is all I got. I love you, Catherine."

"I love you too, Nicky." She says kissing me. To hear her say my nick name followed by those words made this whole trip worth it.


End file.
